Considerations on the Environmental and Social Sustainability of Animal-based Policies

Abstract

The contribution of the livestock sector to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions as well as the worsening of animal welfare, with the intensification of production methods, have become increasingly relevant. Our contribution investigates the environmental impacts, in terms of methane and nitrous oxide emissions, of animal-based policies supported by the European Union. We examine factors affecting the adoption and the magnitude of related budget of Measure 215—animal welfare—of Rural Development Programmes 2007–2013. Our focus is cattle farming in Italy. The results highlight that the problem of animal welfare is highly perceived in regions with greater livestock intensity, also where GHG emissions are relevant. Given the adoption of measure 215, more budget tends to be allocated in regions where livestock units are particularly high. In addition, from the analysis emerges the bargaining position of regions with a higher propensity to the agricultural sector.

Prospects and challenges for cell-cultured fat as a novel food ingredient

“…These mechanisms may also ameliorate the environmental impacts of the meat industry, as both plant-based and cell-cultured meat production are projected to use fewer natural resources and reduce greenhouse gas emissions relative to animal agriculture (Sabaté & Soret, 2014;Tuomisto & Mattos, 2011). Ideally, development and commercialization of cell-cultured fat and other in vitro foods will work synergistically with policies that hold conventional producers to higher standards of animal welfare and environmental stewardship (Santeramo et al, 2019).…”

Food Loss–Food Waste–Food Security: A New Research Agenda

“…Actions in support of consumers may be the extension of the shelf life through packaging and processing innovation, the introduction of clear date labels or storage, freezing, defrosting and preparation instructions, the supply of a variety of portion sizes, the provision of information on packaging and labelling innovations that help prevent food spoilage. Other actions include the redirection of food to people through different channels (e.g., food banks or markets) or to feed animals and to industrial use [40]. A sustainable alternative may be the transformation of food loss and by-products into fertiliser or compost for soil enrichment or into renewable energy: indeed, an increasing amount of biofuels is produced from waste streams from the food sector [41,42].…”

A Systematic Mapping of Current Literature on Sustainability at Farm-Level in Beef and Lamb Meat Production

“…For example, Nieto et al [35] measured performance and GHG emissions of beef production and found lower emissions on farms with higher standards of animal welfare. Improving the welfare of beef cattle and sheep is a way of ensuring high productivity and, at the same time, minimize the GHG emission per kg of meat produced [36]. Improved animal health and animal productivity can also enhance the economic sustainability of production [37,38].…”